Ask Tom

"The Dining Out column used to be one of my favorite features in The Washington Post," writes Frank Branchini in a letter. "But it is a column I barely look at any more." His reason? "I can't remember the last time you gave even a passing nod to vegetarians."

Was my track record as bad as the Edgewater, Md., reader claimed? In a search through several months of past restaurant reviews in the Magazine, I found praise for the roasted eggplant at the Bombay Club downtown, the tofu "steak" at Sei in Penn Quarter, the squash risotto at Eventide in Arlington and the bamboo tempura at Sushi Taro in Dupont Circle. Meanwhile, I was critical of meatless pastas at Inox in Tysons Corner and Siroc downtown. In her critique of the Wine Kitchen in Leesburg, my substitute Candy Sagon praised the sauteed wild mushrooms with fried polenta and a vegetarian panini.

"While the vegetarian proportion of the general population is probably small enough for you to snub," Branchini adds, "restaurant surveys indicate that a significant portion of diners are looking for vegetarian options."

Count me among them, Mr. Branchini.

Got a dining question? Send your thoughts, wishes and, yes, even gripes to asktom@washpost.com or to Ask Tom, The Washington Post Magazine, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Please include a daytime telephone number.